Raphael, who along with Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo formed the traditional trinity of the High Renaissance period has created a new record. One of the Renaissance master’s work has created a record for a drawing in art history at a recent auction. Sotheby’s had recently organized a sale of ‘Old Master & British Paintings’ which also featured one of Raphael’s drawings, the 16th century “Head of an Apostle” which is a study for Raphael’s last painting “Transfiguration”. Exceeding the pre sales estimates, the art work fetched a record $47.9 million. Raphael died way back in 1520 rather prematurely at the age of 37 but had already produced a large portfolio of great work that are valued highly centuries later.

The Drawing Came Out of the Collection at Chatsworth

The drawing has been done in black chalk and measures roughly 15 inches by 11 inches. It is the provenance that the art work carries that makes it exceptionally valuable and attracts hectic bidding by the world’s greatest collectors. The drawing belonged to the significant collection at Chatsworth which is the ancestral home of the 12th Duke of Devonshire who also happens to be the Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s. The apparent reason for selling the valued art work is to create a fund for the upkeep of the Chatsworth estate. The caliber of this drawing is such that even the masters are lucky to be able to achieve in their career. There are only one or two other work by Raphael that measure up to the artistic ingenuity of the Head of An Apostle.

The Auction by Sotheby’s Collected a Total of Over 58 Million Pounds

Another drawing by Raphael which has also been done in black chalk, ‘Head of a Muse’ is also considered to be of the same caliber and was auctioned in 2009 at Christie’s in London for 29.2 million pounds. Sotheby’s auction bettered the record in Pound’s term but was a little behind in dollar terms because of the fluctuation in the currencies in the intervening three years. The Sotheby’s sale of Old Master and British Paintings was a great success as it collected over 58 million pounds and could hit the higher end of the pre sales estimates excluding the buyer’s premium. The winning bid for the record breaking drawing was made by a member of Sotheby’s staff who was most likely representing a Russian client. However Philip the Good’s finely illuminated copy of the drama “Mystere de la Vengeance” dated around 1465 was unlucky and couldn’t find a buyer.